We’re thinking of combining a trip there with a few days in Philadelphia this July or August. I have two daughters – a twelve year old and an almost four year old. My husband likes the mountains and I love lakes of all kinds. My girls also love the beach. So swimming is good as any kind of rafting and canoeing and tubing. We’re also thinking about stopping in Hershey Park. I’ve actually never been to this area before and am not sure where to start any kind of vacation planning. Ideally, I’d like to stay in a place that allows for lake access.
Arrowhead Lake. It’s not that far off of I-80. Hit the Water Gap & Bushkill Falls on your way in if you want to do some sightseeing day one. Not that far a drive from you.
Camelback has CamelBeach water park for water fun in the summer if you’re just looking for a park. Hershey is roughly 2 hrs from that area but of course has all of the standards, roller coasters, merry-go-round, aerial tram cars across the park, an attached zoo, etc. The chocolate tour is only about 10 mins, maybe an hour with wait in the height of summer tourist season.
As for Philly, Franklin Institute & Academy of Natural Sciences for the kids, & of course all of the historic area stuff. There is a DUKW company (Ride the Ducks).
There’s tubing/canoeing on the Delaware in upper Bucks Co, straight up Rt 611 from Phila. City Hall, approx 1¼ drive.
Dorney park is much closer to the route between Philadelphia and the Poconos (ie, less out of your way driving)
Knoebels Grove is probably just as much out of your way as Hershey park (though not in the same area), but it’s sort of a throwback to more old school parks. Will be less busy than Hershey park or Dorney, and has free admission with the possibility to pay per ride with tickets, so if the adults want to go on few/no rides it is overall far cheaper. You can bring your own food in and eat there too since there are no admissions gates, etc.
One thing you should be aware of about the Poconos is that they’re not a mountain range so much as an eroded plateau. So you won’t see too much in the way of typical mountainous terrain like you would see in, say, the White Mountains of New Hampshire or the Great Smoky Mountains.
SCREW HERSHEY PARK – GO TO KNOEBELS INSTEAD. Much more fun and more interesting; the carousel still has a brass ring and the bumper cars are the 500lb Lusses that are like hitting with real cars. The park opens on the 25th but the 26th will be the better riding day – lower crowds. In July or August you want a weekday when you can get the ride all day option. Free parking and non-riders can walk around all day for nothing ---- no gate or admission. Lots of shows and a real old-time atmosphere; think 1960s Leave It To Beaver type of America. Much cheaper than Dorney or Hershey and much much more fun and unique.
PS – if you have a dog, bring it. As long as its on a leash and under control its as welcome as you are.
PPS forget the Poconos proper and head more for the Endless Mountains ------ Rickets Glen and all the area around Dallas for example. I’m a former local so any tips or advice feel free to PM me.
There isn’t going to be a whole lot in the Poconos that kids will find all that interesting. The Mt. Airy Lodge-style resorts are largely a thing of the past. Based on recent trips through the area, the chief summertime attraction appears to be golf. Do your kids golf?
The lodge closed around 2000; the location has a casino with a like name if memory serves. Small world department - I worked some gigs there back in the golden days of my youth.
In Scranton is Steamtown which may be the single largest pork-barrel project ever cleared by either political party. That being said it is a fantastic museum of trains and railroading and worth the time.
While it has its good days and bad, the Eckley Miners Village can be cool. If you remember the old-ish movie “The Molly McGuires” it was filmed there. And again a fairly cool place.
A near MUST SEE is near Knoebels – Bills Old Bike Barn and Museum.
look at some of the virtual tours. It’s more than motorcycles and cool stuff like that. Billville has a doll shop, an Avon store, a mayors office and more. And Bill and the current Mrs Bill are great guides if they are there.
And if you are totally insane for history
French Azilum is neat and really unknown outside some circles in the mountains and some circles in Quebec. It was almost home to Marie Antionette and was home to Talleyrand and Louis Phillip (future King of the French) for a while.
There is rafting on the Lehigh River, although in the summer low water levels can make it difficult. There are days when they release water from the dam that improve things significantly. You can find the release dates on the net but book ahead because it can can quite crowded on release dates. There is also a bike path that runs along the river on an old railroad bed. I’ve not done it but I think you can do it one way on rental bikes and its (mostly) a slight downhill ride.
I grew up in the area, left for a long time, returned home to retire.
It is true that the heyday of the Poconos is in the past. It’s main claim to fame was the fact that it was fairly close to NYC and Philadelphia, giving city dwellers a place to get out of the city for a while. There are still resorts, if that is what you are looking for … generally just “quiet time” places in the woods, not spectacular in any way … some still aimed at honeymooners, not families. Mount Airy, the old cream of the crop, is now a particularly tacky casino.
If you’re coming from the west, I side with those who recommend Knoebels over Hershey Park. Neither are actually in the Poconos but may be kinda on your way.
Knoebels really is a different kind of place; still family run. No gate fee, you can buy ride tickets individually at a very reasonable price or look it over first and then decide if you want to buy an all day pass. They don’t gouge on food prices; locals actually go to the park just to eat. A drive through the town of Hershey to see the Candy Kiss street lights and a stop for the factory show (it’s nor actually a factory tour, just a presentation) about covers Hershey.
There are lots of places for day hikes in the area but mountain hiking with a three or four old who has been cooped up in a car for several days … ??? Your call.
There are some lakes. Depending on where you are from, you might call them ponds. Nothing in the world-class destination category.
The bike trail MikeF mentioned might be something for you to look into. http://poconobiking.com/ It is a very nice ride, very. It is also very easy, slightly downhill almost all the way, doable by most anyone who has ridden a bike and is not in absolutely horrible physical condition. They rent trailers and such for the little one. I haven’t done the rafting there but I think it is some white water; don’t know if it would be suitable for your youngest. There are very mild rafting, tubing, canoe trips available in Delaware Water Gap.
Really, the Poconos as a tourist area is all about getting out of the city and looking at trees.
For some reason I associate campy heart-shaped beds with the Poconos. I have never been there and am not sure where I got this idea. Maybe some TV commercial or magazine ad back through the mists of time?!
The Poconos were once a big honeymoon hideaway resort destination. One of the flagship resorts, Mount Airy Lodge, famously had heart shaped bathtubs. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a whole lot of heart shaped beds too.
There was some of that but --------- the really wild honeymoon area was Commack New York. The Motor Lodge had all these themed rooms and the “Jungle Room” was seriously something to see. Or so I was told. I would, of course, never take a girl there. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
They still exist although slightly less tacky than they were.
**Turble ** – I’ll be around Knoebels for opening weekend if you are bored and want a mini-Dopefest. Have to visit the kin around Dallas and Kingston first.
There are still a lot of resorts in the area, some nicer than others, but many of the once well known resorts are gone – some simply abandoned, some of them turned into housing developments during the sub-prime lending boom.
kopek I’m in the Poconos, a couple hours east of Knoebels, not actually local … been there many times but it’s an event, not a frequent thing. My dad tells me I swam in the lake at Knoebels with Hillary Rodham Clinton when she and I were six or seven years old.
I’m a fourth on Knoebels. The food is good and well-priced or you can bring your own. Or do both. No parking fees, no gate admission, and even on a busy day it never feels as crowded (to be fair, it might not be) as a place like Hershey does. There are not a lot of amusements parks I’d regret never being able to go to again but Knoebels is probably top on the list.
I did some asking around about where people would recommend for the OP.
Unanimous top of the list is Great Wolf Lodge. Family friendly with a good water park and lots of other kid friendly stuff. It is in Mount Pocono, the very heart of the Poconos, so as close to everything as it gets. It is fairly recently built, not one of the run down old resorts … has a good reputation.
The other recommendation was “If money is no object”: Skytop. Really top of the line, elegant dining room with waiters in white gloves kind of place. Private cabins, lake, etc. … what the Poconos used to be.
Im no fan of the Poconos but it is great for boating, white water rafting, and there are two water parks. Other than that its an overrated tourist trap with little charm.
The kids will LOVE Hershey Park. I’ve never been to Knoebbels but if you are from outside the area Id rather go to Hershey for the tour and the customized candy bars since you can find run down old-timey amusement parks anywhere.
The Crayola Factory in Easton PA is another hit for the chilluns maybe not so much for the 12er.
Stay away from Dorney Park. I live a mile from it and its just too pricey and will be too crowded you’ll finish the day tired miserable and broke. At least Hershey Park is overpriced and crowded but with the chocolate tour its worth it…
If your looking to beach it Ocean City NJ is the most family friendly. Avoid Wildwood and Seaside Hieghts.
All advice has been greatly appreciated and read carefully. Thank you.
However this line is just completely wrong. Sorry. While Seaside Heights is a bit of a mess, Wildwood is just plain fun. Other than the world’s lousiest hotel (my fault for not doing more research), we went there last year and had a great time. The boardwalk is one endless munching opportunity as well as the chance to try some charming rides and play lots of deliciously silly boardwalk games. My eldest and I had a lot of fun playing rounds of skee ball and eating fudge. The beach is a bit of a walk from the boardwalk but the waves are good and the sand rather nice. We found a protected area where the little one was able to romp in a tidal pool away from the waves. We also went to other places in the area including the very beautiful Cape May and the local zoo.
The Wildwoods IMO are one of the top fun family destinations in the area. The only place my eldest liked more was Cape Cod. It’s not an upscale destination but it is quite a great way to get away for a few days and just relax on a budget.